Improvement in tanning



-They are then unhaired in i and after unhairing I subjectthem to a thorthem to tan quickly.

NITED STATES PATENT Erica,

PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT'IN TANNlNG.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,6410, dated March 5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER R. WYE'IH, of West Middletown, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Process t'orTanning Skins and Hides; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

I make a soak of soft or rain water, in which I dissolve one poundcaustic potash and two pounds Sal-soda. In this the hides and skins are put to soften, and are to remain in it until the gelatine of the hide is equally softened throughout, the solution being kept at bloodheat, or 100 Fahrenheit. I then break flesh in the usual manner and work them out thoroughly. I now hang them in a suitable sweat room, which is kept at a temperature of about 60 I Fahrenheit, and in this apartment the skins remain until the hair will come offeasily. thensual manner,

ough rinsing in fresh cold water, and then work them on the beamin the well-known man ner. I now again suspend therein the sweatroom, the temperature of which is still kept at about 60 Fahrenheit, and subject them to the steam or vapor which rises from the combustion of equal parts of wet spent tan-bark, damp horse-dung, and damp rotten wood- This vaporizing process I employ instead of hating, also to purify the skins and cause After being vaporized, I work them thoroughly agaim-and then subject them to a compound tan-liquor, which-is to Wit: Steep five hunof hemlock or chestnutpounds Sicily sumac; twentyfive pounds divi-divi in a sufficient quantity of rain-water to receive easily sixty sides or two hundred calf-skins. solve five pounds alum. I now handle the skins while in the liquor frequently. As the skins thus immersed take up the tanning matter of the liquors the latter must be strengthenedwith the following liquor: In a suffieient quantity of water dissolve one bale ofjaponica, twenty pounds Glaubers salt, and fourteen pounds common salt, with which strengthen the above-named tanning-liquor from time to time, as required, handling the skins frequently till fully tanned.

I do not claim, broadly, or hides, for I am aware but,

Having described my invention, I claim-- The within-described process for treating hides or skins, consisting in first soaking them in a warm solution of potash and sal-soda, then, after sweating, rinsing, working, and sweating, subjecting them to the vapor of spent dauip tan-bark, damp horse-dung, and rotten wood, then soak them in a tanningcomposed as follows, dred and ten pounds the smoking of skins that it is not new;

liquorcomposed of bark solution, sumac, dividivi, and alum, which liquor is afterward strengthened with japonica, Glaubers salt, and common salt, all in the manner and in the proportions herein set forth and described, for

the purpose specified.

ALEX. R. WYETH. Witriesses:

WM. M. BUSHFIELD, GEORGE Donn.

In this solution dis- 

